New Deckers for Coastliner 700

SN18KNL enjoying the sun at Worthing depot

Regular blog readers will know that I spend some time on the south coast in Worthing and that I often post reports from there.

The main bus operator in the area is Stagecoach South and a source from the company has sent me some information regarding the first deliveries of thirty brand new Alexander Dennis Enviro 400MMCs to be based at Worthing for use on the Coastliner 700 service.

A number are initially going into 'dry storage' at Climping outstation near Littlehampton although one has arrived at the Worthing depot in Library Place. They are due to enter service during the summer.

My thanks to my mole at Stagecoach South for the information and photo.

Roy

King Long Re-Registration

Lowestoft based Angie's Tours has recently re-registered one of its King Long XMQ6127 coaches.

New to Wheelers Travel of North Baddesley in October 2009, BX59KWR has just received a replacement TIG3393 plate. The coach had been previously acquired by North Quay Services, trading as Eurosun, in April 2012.

Simon Bartram managed to get a photo of it early yesterday morning on Pier Terrace in Lowestoft. My thanks to him for the information and the use of the photo

Roy 

Where are they now V877HBY

Mark Doggett has been out and about with his camera and came across an old FEC vehicle now plying its trade in Kent.

V877HBY was new to First London (Capital Citybus) as TN877 in 1999. It was renumbered 32877 in 2003 and then passed to First Eastern Counties in 2008. It then moved on to First Essex in 2010 and then on again to First Midland Red in 2012. When Sold by First it passed to Bus Stop, Gravesend before moving on to its current owners Brian Jones Coaches also based in Gravesend.

I managed to photograph her in Castle Meadow, Norwich back in September 2009 when the influx of ex First London Tridents and Volvo's was well underway with FEC.

Thanks to Mark for the photo and the find!

Grahame.

Service Alterations Registered ~ 25th April 2018

Yesterday's Notices & Proceedings Report included a retrospective application by Konectbus to vary the route and timetable of its Norwich St Stephen's Street to Horning 5B service from 12th April 2018.

Published by the East of England Transport Commissioner, the full report can be viewed HERE

Roy

Bumper Crop!

A large number of coaches appeared to be in Great Yarmouth early this morning with at least a dozen being observed in my tour around the usual spots

First up was Van Hool TX16 BT62KHF which was noted at the Hotel Victoria working for the Opal Travel Group. The TX16 was new to Harry Shaw as 1KOV in September 2012.

Next on the itinerary was Marine Parade where I expected to observe some Shearings /National Holidays coaches but there were none to be seen! There was, however, an Ambassador Travel coach YN16UAF in Grand UK Holidays but, on cue, National Holidays Mercedes Benz Tourismo NH15LDH passed it heading for the nearby Royal Hotel.

Another two unidentified National Holidays coaches passed me as I headed for the coach station where there was another Grand UK Holidays branded vehicle in the form of Olympia Travel's Irizar i6 integral YN15YTT

Also at the coach station was Alfa Travel's Mercedes Benz Tourismo 81 BX14LCK having a later start.

Retracing my steps I discovered two Shearings' coaches on North Drive. They were Setras 312 BK11COH and 515 BU13ZTG

Two different tourers appeared outside the New Beach Hotel on the two occasions I passed it. Laying up overnight was AVA Coach.Com's Van Hool Alizee bodied Volvo B12B F5AVA, new to Lakeland Coaches as YJ08NSU.

The later one arriving at the hotel, to pick up passengers, was James Cooper & Son's Scania K340EB6 / Irizar PB YN07EYG

Roy

Lowestoft Sunday

With no train services between Lowestoft and Norwich yesterday, a rail replacement service operated with Belle Coaches providing some of the vehicles required. Here is Setra LIL9456 on the 11:46 Lowestoft to Norwich.

Also used on First's 101 Hollow Grove to Lowestoft Bus Station route was Gemini 37570 AU58ECT on the delayed 12:15 service. It was providing lunch time cover for Enviro200 44533 SN62DBV.

My thanks to our regular Lowestoft correspondent Simon Bartram for his report and photos.

Roy

Where Are They Now ~ BU04FAJ & BX55FYO

Two of Reynolds Coaches' former Mercedes Benz Tourismos have now been tracked down with their new owners in Newquay, Cornwall.

Mercedes Benz Tourismo BU04FAJ seen on Beccles Road in Bradwell during March 2015

Both BU04FAJ and BX55FYO were noted as being advertised for sale on the Route One database in early February last year and were acquired by A2B of Newquay soon after. Reynolds bought the latter from Clarkson of South Elmswell in April 2011 with the former coming from Bennett of Hayes End just a year earlier.

Roy

New Norwich Trainer

First Norwich has gained a 'new' driver training vehicle from First Great Yarmouth in the shape of former First Southampton Trident 32809 T809LLC

Dennis Trident 32809 T809LLC arrives at the James Paget Hospital on 17th November 2017 clearly displaying
First Southampton above the driver's window

Tridents T801LLC and T849LLC in the rear yard on 25th March 2018

Grahame reported on its proposed future use on 11th April 2018 (First Yarmouth Update) following the decker's return from storage at Lowestoft depot. 32809 was originally on loan at Great Yarmouth to cover for vehicles required for Bernard Matthews contract work leading up to the busy Christmas period.

The two other Tridents, arriving at the same time, were noted in the rear yard at Caister Road in late March this year. Both 38201 T801LLC and 32849 T849LLC are thought to be available for disposal.

My thanks to First for the information

Roy

Sunbeam Recent Arrival

Hevingham based Sunbeam Luxury Coaches has a recent addition to its fleet in the form of a Volvo B12M

Carrying the cherished plate of P27SUN, the Jonckheere bodied coach has also been variously registered as AIG9384, MV07EFX and JSU986
It was new to Parks of Hamilton as KSK950.

My thanks to @fpp5t on twitter for the photo and the information.

Roy

Lowestoft Rail Replacement

As a result of resignalling work there was no rail service running between Lowestoft and Norwich yesterday.

Belle Coaches Scania NJI9243 seen in Waveney Drive, Kirkley on rail replacement for the 10:58 ex Norwich

This led to rail replacement services being put in place with members from the Simonds and Belle Coaches being observed in use.

Simonds Volvo B12B 378BNG in the same location with the 11:46 Lowestoft to Norwich service 

Luckily for us regular contributor Simon Bartram was on hand to take photos of the coaches being used. My thanks to him for providing copies of them for use on the blog

Roy

Blue Is The Colour!

A couple of sightings to note in Great Yarmouth earlier today and both were of the blue variety!

Firstly, Shearings Holidays' Setra 640 BT63GDA was being loaded outside the Carlton Hotel ready for the return home.

Meanwhile, close to Railway Station was Freestones Coaches Irizar PB bodied Scania K380EB4 YN07LFY. It is thought to be on standby for rail replacement work; although I could see no mention of it on the Greater Anglia website.

Roy

First Yarmouth Update

A few bits to report from Caister Road. Firstly we are told that former First Southampton Trident 32809 T809LLC is to become a Driver Training vehicle. It was on loan at Yarmouth over the Christmas period before being withdrawn at the end of February. It has been stored at Lowestoft Depot before being towed back to Caister Road earlier this week.

32809 now back at Caister Road.

A couple of Norwich vehicles are also at Caister Road for MOT and servicing, these being Streetlite 63321 SK65PXB which is part of the Green Line fleet along with recent arrival from Leeds 36271 BG12YKD which was noted on Sunday afternoon.

And finally also from Norwich, Dennis Trident 33055 LN51GKO was spotted this morning at Market Gates Bus Station in the town.

Thanks to First for the info and to Will Drake for the photographs.

Grahame.

Service Alterations Registered ~ 11th April 2018

This morning's Notices and Proceedings Report contains a couple of entries of local interest.

The first relates to the variation of a service by Sanders Coaches which has been granted under short notice. It concerns the amendment of route and timetable of the 98 service between Cawston Market Place and Fakenham from 29th April 2018.

Ipswich Buses is cancelling its Felixstowe open top service effective from 1st July 2018.

The complete East of England Transport Commissioner's report can be viewed HERE

Roy

Another Yellow Line Repaint

Paul Bennett has been in touch regarding the latest First Norwich Yellow Line repaint at Simon Morris in Ipswich and it's not an ex Leeds Volvo B9TL!

This morning Rob Freeman took this photo of  Volvo B7RLE /Wright Eclipse-Urban 66980 (KX05MHJ) and note the revised First logo. It is expected to be heading back to Norwich along the A140 later today.

My thanks to Paul for sending the photo to me and to Rob for taking it.

Roy

Ex Bristol Streetdecks Enter Service

As  Grahame reported on the blog in mid March, (see More Streetdecks for Norwich) the two former Bristol buses have begun to appear in service and 35150 (SN65OMU) was noted in use earlier today.

My thanks to Joe Wilson-Smith for supplying the photo which was quickly taken on his mobile phone as 35150 suddenly appeared whilst entering Red Lion Street from Castle Meadow.

Roy

Where Are They Now - KIG1856

Following on from Roy's post, Mark Doggett has been in touch to say he found a former Ambassador Travel Volvo now working from a new home. KIG1856 was new to Ambassador for National Express duties as FN52HRG with fleet number 196.

Pictured in Stratford Upon Avon back in February, KIG1856 is now operated by ALS Travel of Lake on the Isle Of Wight. I also understand that sister, former Ambassador 197 KIG1857 (FN52FRM) is also owned by ALS.

Thanks to Mark for the photograph.

Grahame.

Where Are They Now ~ LIL9717 & NJI9245

Two of Belle Coaches' previously operated Setras have been traced to latest owner D A Payne Coach Hire Limited of Offord Cluny in Cambridgeshire.

Setra LIL9717 on a visit to Great Yarmouth during December 2012

Also trading as Cambridge Coach Hire, the operator is now the owner of both LIL9717 and NJI9245. The former was new to Greaves of Netherton as BV51BNY in February 2002; whilst the first owner of the latter was Welsh of Upton as Y752DDA in August 2001

Both were observed in a lay-by at Godmanchester by John Podgorksi in late March

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 4th April 2018

Today's Notices and Proceedings Report contains details of an alteration to Buckland Omnibus Company's operator licence. Its premises at Base Business Park in Rendlesham near Woodbridge is now authorised for six vehicles.

The full East of England Transport Commissioner's report can be viewed HERE

Roy

Plymouth Buses for Norfolk?

I understand that Plymouth Citybus have a number of their Mercedes-Benz Citaros going on loan to Konectbus in the near future. Their intended use is for the Neatherd High School routes on schooldays and they may also be found on other routes during the weekends and bank holidays.

Another Plymouth bus heading to the Norfolk operator on loan is an Alexander Dennis E400 for use on the 5 series routes.

My thanks to John Helliwell for the fake news!! - see the comments below

Roy

Shearings Loanee

Noted this lunchtime at Beach Coach Station was a brand new VDL Bova Futura belonging to Lawmans of Kettering, JL18RSL was also carrying paperwork showing that it is currently on hire to Shearings.

Also parked up was an impressive Scania Irizar YN14NPK operated by Buzzlines of Kent.

Grahame.